Product marking is all about the ability to quickly and easily identify a product, its constituents and other characteristics. Punches, stamps and dies are conventional tools for marking products. The characteristic imprint on the product facilitates the identification of the product and hence can prevent misidentification and fraud. However, not all products are amenable to physical imprinting. Delicate products may for instance be harmed by the process. Chemical markings can be used in such instances and colour dyes such as ink may for instance be used to provide a full or partial coating. However, such product marking methods can easily be counterfeited. For some applications, the marker is preferably invisible, but readily detectable by a legitimate control. More sophisticated product marking methods include 2D data matrix prints that can store a lot more information about the product than a 1d code such as barcode. In addition to prints, radiowave-detectable markers of light detectable markers may be used for product marking.
In one type of anti-counterfeit a measure, an ultraviolet (UV) ink may be used to mark the product with an identifying indicia. One benefit of using the UV ink is that it is typically not visible when illuminated with light in the visible spectrum (380-770 nm), but is visible when illuminated with light in the UV spectrum (200-380 nm). Therefore, counterfeiters will be unable to tell whether the product contains a security mark by merely looking at the product when the product is illuminated with visible light.
A number of UV inks are readily available in the security industry and can be obtained at a relatively low cost. Several UV ink types and compositions are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,317.
However, the use of security marks containing a UV ink has seen increased use and counterfeiters have become knowledgeable about their use. It has been a common practice for counterfeiters to examine the UV ink from a product sample, reproduce or procure the same or similar UV ink that matches the characteristics of the UV ink from the product sample, and apply the same security mark on the counterfeit products using the substitute UV ink.
In another type of anti-counterfeit and anti-diversion measure, an infrared (IR) ink is used to mark the product with an identifying indicia. As with the UV ink, one benefit of using the IR ink is that it is typically not visible when illuminated with light in the visible spectrum, but is visible when illuminated with light in the IR spectrum (800-1600 nm). An additional benefit of using the IR ink is that it is more difficult to reproduce or procure the matching IR ink by studying a product sample containing the IR security mark. Examples of IR security mark usage are given in U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,958 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,324.
An object of this invention is to provide a product authentication system and method employing a unique mark that is simple and cost-effective to apply and read, but provides several layers of protection against counterfeiters and includes anti-counterfeit and anti-diversion features.
In alternative embodiments, it is an aim of the present invention to provide proof of origin of seeds or preservation of the identity of the seed.
In still further alternative embodiments, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a method to determine seed quality and-or the quality of a seed treatment process.